


This Time, Baby, I'll Be Bulletproof

by Biromantic_Nerd



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: (I know what you're thinking), (Thanks Peggy), (When I say lovers I mean people who love each other), AU that's inspired by canon?, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon-Inspired, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, And YES it's spy AU about a show about secret agents, But he doesn't trust Dottie farther than he can throw her, But not actually the canon universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Ehh mostly no cursing but then it'll suddenly hit you like Peggy's fist, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Language, F/F, Femslash, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, Let alone trust her with his best friend, Mild Language, No Sex, No Smut, Peggy is kicking ass and not even stopping to take names, So kind of brutal, per usual
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:10:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biromantic_Nerd/pseuds/Biromantic_Nerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"Peggy." Dottie purred. "Don't you trust me?"</i><br/> <br/><i>"Not on your life." Jarvis muttered. </i></p><p>The (kind of) AU about two rival spies who eventually fall in love, which really isn't too far off from canon when you think about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Time, Baby, I'll Be Bulletproof

**Author's Note:**

> If you've seen Season 2, then you can see where I'm coming from where you just want these two in so many AUs together. They are perfect for the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter is a repost because it wasn't showing up, so hopefully it works this time! 
> 
> In this ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, Peggy works at the SSR, but it's more of a generic spy place. Dottie works at a rival spy company, and that's how they met - on opposite sides of a mission. Howard Stark is still a millionaire with his butler Edwin Jarvis.
> 
> You can see though that it's heavily inspired by canon events. So it's almost like the canon universe. But not quite.

When Peggy unexpectedly got the call from Howard Stark, she closed her eyes and patiently reminded herself that he was her friend. 

"You want me to fly out to California." She repeated monotonously. 

"Yes." 

"By tomorrow." She reiterated. 

"Sounds about right." 

"Howard." She sternly said. "It's eleven o'clock at night, and I haven't even packed anything, let alone bought a ticket. Not that anyone's flying at this hour." 

"Oh? Didn't I tell you, Pegs?" He asked, laughing. "I sent Jarvis over there to New York yesterday. He should be on his way now to pick you up. He'll fly you over to California personally in a Stark plane."

It was so presumptuously said - so arrogantly sure in the knowledge that she would agree that he had sent Jarvis out without even notifying her - so absolutely certain in his ability to convince her. It was so much like Howard Stark. 

Peggy looked at the room around her, sighing. 

"I'm a little preoccupied at the moment." She admitted. 

"And what could be more important than your best pals?" He asked in dramatically wounded disbelief. 

"Well...." She looked at the unconscious assassin that had snuck in through her open window earlier that night and was now currently slumped over, only held upright by the knotted ties to her chair. 

"When you put it that way." She finished saying dryly. 

______________________________

"Ms. Carter." Edwin Jarvis greeted her warmly as she stepped out in the cold night air, his smile wide. 

"Mr. Jarvis." She grinned back jovially. Out of courtesy, she allowed him to open the car door for her, this one time; however, she carried her own luggage through the opened door. Jarvis let out a dismayed sigh at that, but simply went around to the driver's seat. 

Once they were both inside, his eyes flickered to the multipl suitcases that lined the backseat and then flickered over to the woman in the passenger's seat, anlthee suitcase on her lap. 

"If you don't mind me saying," He started slowly. "I do hope that Mr. Stark didn't impress upon you that you had to move in in order to help us." 

"Move in?" She asked and then her confusion cleared, and she laughed. "Oh, I it was simply good timing. I had to move _out_ of my apartment rather quickly, so I just packed nearly everything." 

Jarvis let out a relieved breath. "I'm glad that you aren't under some misassumption that led you to feeling pressured to stay with us. Not that you _can't_ stay with us permanently, of course. We'd be delighted to have you for as long as you'd like!" He hastened to add, in case she got the wrong impression. 

"Howard would?" Peggy asked, slightly doubtful. 

"Well..." Jarvis awkwardly fidgeted with a roll of his shoulders. "I'm sure he wouldn't be against the idea. And if he was, Ana and I would certainly have no qualms with letting you stay with us." 

The car made a left, crossing the nearly empty intersection easily to do so without hesitation. 

"Thank you, Mr. Jarvis." Peggy replied, a bit amused at his offer but also touched. "That's also another positive of this ...trip; I finally get to meet your wife." 

He grinned. "Ah, yes. Ana's already looking forward to meeting you too. I've regaled her with some stories of our previous adventures, you see. She's rather excited." 

"Have you?" She inquired politely. 

"Oh yes. And since we've last seen each other, Ms. Carter, I've also been improving my physical strength and stamina. I've been training in many methods of combat, but I must admit that my favorite is judo. Ana and I frequently spar together, as a matter of fact. she's quite supportive of my training - and an excellant sparring partner as well." 

"That sounds... wonderful." Peggy said and she meant it, and Jarvis turned briefly to look at her before fixing his eyes back on the road. 

"Oh, that's quite enough about me." He said, looking vaguely embarrassed. "I've been rambling for some time now and haven't even inquired about you at all." 

"Nonsense." Peggy dismissed the thought immediately. "I enjoyed it." He smiled at that, relieved. 

"What _have_ you been up to since we last saw each other?" Jarvis then asked her, as they continued to drive through the dimly lit streets of New York. 

"Mmm, well, not much. Mostly work." Peggy admitted, and Jarvis chuckled. 

"Your type of work qualifies as an extracurricular all on its own however." He remarked, changing lanes smoothly. 

"Yes, well, it is a bit exhausting." Peggy teased. "Especially when it follows you home." She remarked offhandedly. 

"Oh?" Jarvis inquired curiously. "Did something happen?" 

"Oh, not much." She denied, waving him off. "Just an assassin." 

The car brakes squealed as the vehicle suddenly came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the road. 

"A _what?_ " He gasped. 

Peggy frowned. "You can't just stop in the middle of the road like this, Mr. Jarvis." She reminded him in calm disapproval. 

He spluttered about her nonchalant reaction, but he diligently began to drive again. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly. 

There was a moment of silence where he seemed to attempt to collect his frantic thoughts before speaking. 

"Are you - but of course you must be - still." He rambled anxiously, darting a concerned look towards her. "I must ask. Are you quite alright?" 

Peggy smiled. "I am perfectly fine, Mr. Jarvis." Then she paused. "Well, besides Howard thinking that I am at his beck and call without any warning whatsoever."

Jarvis looked terribly chagrined at that. 

"Ah. Yes. As much as I respect him, I must admit that Mr. Stark and courtesy are not exactly two things that go hand in hand together. I do apologize." 

Peggy chuckled. 

"It's not too terrible." She consoled him teasingly. "After all, I confess that I am somewhat looking forward to the trip."

Jarvis glanced at her cheerful demeanor in knowing pity. 

"Oh, I wouldn't speak too soon."

She looked at him, puzzled by his ominous words. He merely grimaced. 

___________________________

Upon arriving at the Californian Stark mansion, Jarvis ushered her to a guest room immediately. He didn't allow her to argue with his assistance, as he helped her with her suitcases. 

"Here we are." He said. "Now, I suggest that you rest, Ms. Carter. We have a long day ahead of us." 

"Rest?" She asked, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "But we've only just arrived." 

Jarvis smiled at her gently. "Ms. Carter, you were on a flight for a number of hours after, apparantly, coming home an fighting off a deadly intruder in your household; do allow your body some time to catch up." 

"I couldn't possibly." She protested. 

"Peggy Carter not being able to do something?" Jarvis asked slyly. "I must admit that I find myself quite astonished." 

"Oh, shut up." She grumbled at his teasing, but her lips rose in an easy smile despite herself. "Perhaps just this once." 

"Well, that comes as rather a relief to here." Jarvis said. "I'll retire to my own rooms now. Have a pleasant rest, Ms. Carter." 

"You too, Mr. Jarvis." She politely replied. He left the room, shutting the door softly behind him, and she looked around the room with a quick flick of her eyes. The luxurious style and elegance wasn't perhaps the most practical of things, but she could actually appreciate the finer things in life, despite what people may think of her. 

She gingerly laid down upon the voluminous bed, resting her head upon layers of pillows. It felt exquisite. She sighed and kicked off her heels to the floor, each one falling to the ground with a small thump. She then pulled the large embroidered duvet around her, snuggling in its decadent warmth. 

Maybe just a quick rest, she thought as her eyes closed. 

_______________________________

When she woke up, feeling extremely refreshed, she glanced at the room for a clock and yet didn't find one. She couldn't be certain of how long she had slept, but it must have been a while, judging by the sudden energy she had acquired. 

She slipped back into her discarded heels and went to explore outside of the room that she was placed in. 

It wasn't long before she came across the drawing room. And in the drawing room, she found herself discovering the reason for her stay in the mansion. 

"Peggy!" Howard exclaimed joyfully as she walked into the drawing room. He rose from the couch that he had been lounging on. 

"Howard." She greeted, nodding her head at him in acknowledgment. 

She turned to inspect the room curiously, intrigued its layout. It seemed that, from other angles of the house, this room should be bigger than it appeared to be on the inside. She eyed the bookcases thoughtfully, walking by them to glance at them in further detail. She suspected that there might be a hidden passageway or room stowed away somewhere. 

"Can I get you anything?" Howard asked. "Lemonade, Scotch, whiskey?" 

"Howard," Peggy said scoldingly and yet still conversationally. "I'm sure you didn't send Jarvis all the way to New York to personally fly me over just to offer me refreshments."

"So I might have accidentally lost a couple of high grade weapons in a round of strip poker." Howard admitted a blurted rush. 

Peggy swiveled around in disbelief. "In strip poker? The only things that you're supposed to lose in strip poker are your clothes your dignity. How the bloody hell did that even come about?"

Howard looked sheepish. "Well, there was this blonde - "

Peggy held up a hand, sighing. "Forget I even asked." 

"But it really is serious, Pegs, and I really do need your help." He said gently. "You know I wouldn't bother you unless it's urgent."

"While you may be an annoying pest," She said to him. "And while your actions do bother me at times, _you_ yourself are never a bother." She clapped him on the shoulder. "So. What do we know so far?" 

Howard grinned. "I'll go get Jarvis." He paused. "Actually, I'll go get him in -" He checked his watch and then shrugged. "- Twenty five minutes."

"What happens in twenty five minutes?" She asked him, eyebrows furrowing slightly. 

"He should be done baking the raspberry tart by then." He explained easily. 

Peggy smacked him on the back of his ridiculous head and went to find Jarvis in the kitchen.  
______________________________

Their gathering in the kitchen with Jarvis should have helped because three minds are better than two. However, it didn't change the fact that Howard Stark, despite being a genius, was an obtuse idiot. 

"Do you have any idea where they are, at least?" Peggy asked wearily as their conversation led absolutely nowhere helpful. "I am flattered by your faith in me, but I do, in fact, need _something_ to go off of, you know."

Howard nodded. "I do have one good suspicion."

"Well?" She demanded. Howard was more than distracted by the raspberry tart that he was eating. Jarvis had given one slice to Peggy and had set one askde for his wife. The rest, it seemed, was gling directly into Howard's stomach as quickly as possible. 

"You're not going to like it." He warned her with his mouth still full of a half chewed bite. 

"Charming." She said, unimpressed. "Now tell me everything." 

He shoved the entire last piece of raspberry tart into his mouth. 

"Alright." He said after chewing for a while, crumbs still on his mustache. "This is what I've got." 

_______________________________

They moved their rendezvous back into the drawing room, so that Howard would he more comfortable on his couches after having eaten entirely too much and now was regretting it. 

Jarvis looked utterly unsurprised, so Peggy wasn't concerned in the slightest. Despite Howard's dramatic noises that he would suddenly release from time to time, as if he were suffering from being fatally wounded. 

"Auuurrerghhh!" He cried out, his face looking at then pitifully.

Jarvis and Peggy were entirely stonefaced and didn't react. Howard pouted at their indifference.

"So the plan is to just walk in to a potential mob's warehouse without any weapons or means of communicating with each other?" Peggy asked in disbelief. "It sounds ridiculous." 

"I must agree with her, sir." Jarvis nodded. 

"I do have something that will help." Howard realized, getting up quickly and then groaning as the movement jostled his stomach. He then began digging in his cabinet drawers for something. "Ah-ha!" He handed them both what essentially looked like a wire with a circle at the end. 

"What is it?" Jarvis asked him.

"It's a radio." Howard grinned. "Well, more like it uses radio frequencies. But it's a communication device." 

"That is rather helpful." Peggy praised. 

"So these headpieces just go around here, the wire goes _there,_ this round part goes in your ear, aaaand -" Howard grinned. "Viola!" He exclaimed into the microphone, the noise echoing as it was audible in both Jarvis and Peggy's earpiece. 

"And then," He continued in excitement, "When you two want to transmit to the home base and each other, press this on button right here. Otherwise, it just automatically transits to the home base." 

He looked rather proud of himself. "I'll man the home base radio and transmit to you two from there. You two can wear these portable ones." 

"Alright." Peggy approved. "Good work." 

"I'm not quite sure how I'll be able to assist you in this," Jarvis worried suddenly. "But I will certainly do everything in my capabilities to try." 

She looked at him and nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Jarvis. I'm sure you'll do just fine." 

He smiled, looking relieved. Although he had assisted her in previous adventures before, he had never had such an unoutlined role before. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, exactly, and therefore wasn't entirely confident in his abilities to actually be of much assistance.

"Well then. We'll move out in thirty minutes. It's best to have the cover of nightfall on our side." Peggy decided. 

"We still don't really have a plan." Howard reminded them petulantly. 

"Nonsense, of course we do." Peggy contradicted him, frowning. "Go in and punch people until they tell us what we want. And don't get caught." She added pointedly as Howard just stared at her. 

"That's not a plan!" He said in mild irritation. 

"Maybe you should have come up with a plan in order to keep a firmer grasp on your inventions in the first place." Peggy retaliated pointedly. 

"Even if it is a plan, it's a bad one." Howard muttered to himself. 

Peggy cocked her hip to the side, placing both hands upon her waist in utter exasperation as she stared him down. 

"Really now?" She asked him.

He opened his mouth to protest and then closed it again. 

"So it's not the _worst_ plan." He acknowledged with a shrug. 

"It's better than yours." She reminded him. 

"I didn't come up with a plan." He said, confused. 

"Exactly." 

______________________________

"It's a Russian cartel." Peggy said softly, as she studied the figures going back and forth from the warehouse to the truck. "The question is: do we storm the place and look for Howard's invention, or," Her expression darkened. "Has it already been delivered to someone else?"

"Someone else?" Jarvis questioned quietly. 

"These thugs aren't the top rung of the ladder; they all appear to be small fish in a small pond. We're looking to catch the sharks, not the goldfish."

"Do goldfish and sharks even live in ponds?" Howard wondered through the earpiece. 

"Howard." Peggy said. 

"Yes, Pegs?" He asked, too sweetly. 

"Shut up."

_____________________________

"On the count of three, we storm in." Peggy said to Jarvis as the guards began to rotate to different posititions once again. 

"One - " 

"What?" Jarvis gaped. "That's - " 

"Two - " She continued without faltering 

" - not nearly ample warning - " He finished as she stood up. 

"Three!" 

"Oh dear Lord." Jarvis murmured softly. But he immediately followed her in diligently. Wherever Peggy Carter went, so would he. He trusted her with his life. Completely and utterly, without hesitation. Well, maybe some slight hesitation, but that was more a reflection on Jarvis than on Peggy. 

______________________________

"It's no good." Peggy said, straightening up. "The higher ups don't speak any English. Interrogation is useless."

Howard sighed through the radio. 

"Alright. Retreat then." 

"Just a moment." Peggy told him. Then she heavily swung her fist at the man in the chair and rendered him unconscious. 

"What the hell was _that_ sound?" Howard asked frantically. 

"That," Jarvis answered. "Would be Ms. Carter's fist, sir. As was the last time you asked. And the time before. And it will _still_ be Ms. Carter throwing a rather strong punch the next time that you ask." 

"Well damn." Howard muttered. "It just always sounds worse than it is and makes me worry that you two are in trouble" 

"I can assure you," Jarvis dryly observed. "That it is _exactly_ as formidable and alarming as it sounds, despite our lack of peril." 

"Next time," Peggy angrily said into the headset. "We need an off switch on these things." 

"That's not a bad idea." Howard approvingly agreed. 

"Howard," Peggy swung herself down the railing, tackling four men at once beneath her. She stood up casually; they didn't stand up at all. "All of my ideas are good ideas." 

Having caught up beside her on the stairwell, Jarvis coughed. 

"Do you have something to add, Mr. Jarvis?" She asked him. 

"Not at all." He placated, stepping over the unconscious bodies delicately rather than say anything. 

"I thought not." She grumbled. 

They hastened to exit, practically bulldozing around people that were in their way. Their stealthy entrance was one part of the plan. Their exit, however, was loud and noticeable and was a result of not caring too much about the means as long as they did so quickly and effectively. It didn't matter if people noticed that they _left_ as long as there was nothing anyone could do to stop them. 

"Sounds like you're having a lot of fun." Howard observed as he listened to their sounds of fighting through the communication device. 

"I assure you -" Jarvis ducked a blow and then punched someone that had been attempting to apprehend him. "- fun is not exactly the word that comes to mind." 

"You're a rotten liar, Jarvis." Howard teased. 

"I never -" Jarvis said, affronted. 

"What? Never lied?" Howard laughed. "Because not just two months ago, you were forging my signature to help Peggy-" 

"Oh shut up." Peggy said as she knocked someone out with a single blow. "We all know that Jarvis lies sometimes." 

Jarvis let out a betrayed noise. 

"What?" She asked innocently. "I said 'sometimes,' didn't I?" 

"It's not like I have some - some tendency to fabricate tales!" Jarvis protested. 

"Of course not." Peggy replied easily. The last man fell to the floor, in an unconscious slump. She turned to grin at her friend. "You're too rotten of a liar to manage that." She pulled on her ear teasingly in a mimic of one of his nervous tells, and Jarvis blushed. 

______________________________

The moment that they wearily walked back into Howard Stark's mansion, Jarvis's wife was there waiting for them. 

She greeted them with a hot, steaming tea kettle that she poured into cups as they all gathered in the kitchen together. She was a whirlwind of hospitality and kindness, as she situated them in the kitchen quickly to fuss over them. 

"I'll just take a cup in to the lab real quick for Howard." Peggy declared, and Mrs. Jarvis looked up from her busy and kind fussing.

Ana's whole entire face lit up with excitement when she saw Peggy. 

"You must be Ms. Carter!"'She exclaimed joyfully in greeting, rushing forwards to wrap her arms around the startled woman. 

"She hugs." Jarvis warned Peggy belatedly, and then, to Ana, explained, "She doesn't hug." 

Ana let out a soft noise of understanding and promptly released Peggy, who had remained stiff and awkward instead of even pretending to return the kind gesture.

"Well, we'll be off then," Jarvis said to break the silence, "I'll show Peggy to the lab." 

He turned around to leave, and Ana cleared her throat in warning. 

He swiveled back, looking vaguely guilty. "Ah." He seemed to realize something. 

" _Mister_ Jarvis," Ana beckoned, and then simply pulled him closer by his tie. He squawked but didn't protest. She eagerly pressed their lips together in a loving, steamy kiss, passionate in welcoming home. 

Peggy awkwardly stood by as the scene happened, sure that they had to be close to ending the kiss soon. And yet, they carried on. And on. And _on._ Peggy ducked her head to the side, unwilling to watch as it progress any further. She awkwardly stared at the wall instead of her best friend be snogges senseless by his wife. 

Finally Ana released him with a wide grin. 

She took a look at Jarvis's embarrassed glance towards his friend, his reddened face, and then she laughed. 

"Ah, Mr. Jarvis!" She chuckled. "You are too easy!" 

With that, she departed the room, leaving Jarvis in his mortification and Peggy in her stupefied astonishment.

Peggy lifted an eyebrow wordlessly at her comrade, and Jarvis flushed heavily. 

"Ana is - well you've seen -" He coughed, embarrassment. "Ms. Carter," He said primly. "My wife is rather fond of... displaying her affections openly. I am not. However, I _am_ rather fond of my wife."

"I didn't say anything." Peggy reminded him. 

"You didn't have to." His cheeks still felt too uncomfortably warm and rosy. 

"Shall we?" Peggy simply asked, turning to leave the room, grabbing a teacup in each hand. 

Jarvis straightened his crooked tie.

"Of course, Ms. Carter." He responded. He took his own teacup with him as well. 

______________________________

"While you were coming back," Howard said instead of a greeting. "I managed to translate bits and pieces of the Russian that came from whoever Peggy had been, uh, interrogating." 

"Really?" Peggy asked in surprise, and then set down the extra cup and saucer next to Howard's reach. 

"Mmm-hmm." Howard grinned. He lifted the tea cup and smugly drank from it. "I'm a genius, I know." 

Peggy rolled her eyes at his superior tone. "Well. What did they say?" 

"Ah." His face fell slightly. "They either said something along the lines of, 'Weapons other Russian' _or_ something about pudding." 

As the two of them blankly stared at Howard, he held up his hands innocently. "Okay, so I might have been a little bit hungry while I was translating. It's probably not the pudding." 

"Probably not, sir." Javis agreed dryly. 

"We need someone that speaks Russian." Peggy frowned. 

Howard spluttered. "Rude! I just translated it for you!" 

Peggy narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Three words. The way that I had them talking, they were spewing out entire paragraphs. You managed to get merely three words from it and then, perhaps, translated them. It's the very definition of accuracy, you're quite right." She sarcastically stated, causing him to sheepishly stop looking so offended. "Howard, don't be ridiculous." 

Howard sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Alright. Fine. So we ask one of our Russian friends to help us." 

"Do we know any Russians?" Peggy mused. Howard snickered. 

" _Do we!_ There was this Russian woman that I met at a party, and, whoo boy, _she_ was -" 

"Yes, Mr. Stark, that is quite enough." Peggy interrupted him, irritated, folding her arms impatiently. 

He pouted. "Well, she and I aren't exactly on good speaking terms anyways." He admitted reluctantly. 

"No one immediately springs to mind." Jarvis offered doubtfully. 

"Well..." Peggy said slowly. "There is one." 

She looked at them both significantly. 

"You must be joking." Jarvis spoke in dry disbelief. 

"I'm afraid not. You're right; no one else comes to mind." She answered, unfolding her arms and placing her palms on her hips in contemplation. 

Howard made a hum of agreement. "Who are we talking about?" He asked as no one said anything for another minute. 

"Dottie Underwood." Peggy answered, expecting the fallout to be large. 

Howard didn't react except to cock his head slightly and ask, "Who?" 

Jarvis rolled his eyes upwards, as if asking heaven to grant him patience. 

"Dottie Underwood. She kidnapped you." Howard showed no sign of recollection. 

"You were wearing your mohair jacket." Jarvis looked pained. 

"Oh _yeahhh._ " Howard realized, and Peggy shot Jarvis an incredulous look as that detail seemed to be what made Howard recall her. "The knockout blonde Russian with the right hook." 

"We have to go with Dottie." Peggy decided with a sigh. "There's no one else."

"She tried to kill you!" Jarvis protested, upset. "She tried to kill Mr. Stark! She's even threatened to kill me!" 

Peggy pursed her lips, shaking her head. "Dottie won't kill us. Not when we break her out of prison. We'll have her loyalty at least until we escape the prison, and then we just have to manage to escort her here somehow." 

"We can't trust Ms. Underwood for a moment." Jarvis protested. 

Peggy paused. "We just need to find some way to subdue her and bring her here. And then we can make sure that she doesn't double cross us. An offer or something that she can't refuse." 

"Like what?" Jarvis scoffed. 

Peggy's eyes slowly flickered over to Howard. Jarvis followed her gaze. They both stared at him together.

"This might work." Peggy muttered approvingly. 

"Somehow, I very much doubt it." Jarvis grumbled. 

"Why do I get a bad feeling about this?" Howard asked as they both continued to stare at him.

 

______________________________

Her eyes lit up at the sight of Peggy, who was disguised as a proffesional doctor of some sorts in an attempt to be unrecognized. Surely she would know that it wouldn't fool Dottie. Her eyes gleamed, both interested and pleased. 

She smiled lazily, making no sudden movements. 

"Doctor." She greeted warmly, lounging leisurely on her barren bed. 

"Ms. Underwood." Peggy responded, inclining her head. She sat down in the chair provided. "Let's begin, shall we? I think that we have quite a bit to talk about."

The guard shut the door behind him. 

Dottie Underwood grinned.

She straightened up, squared her shoulders, and looked the woman across from her directly in the eyes. 

"Hello, Peggy." She said joyfully, her wide grin only growing the longer that the other woman stayed there with her. 

"Dottie." Peggy acknowledged, and Dottie closed her eyes for a brief moment and simply just breathed in. She took in the moment, that this was really happening. 

"So," She stated in an amused voice as she opened her eyes. "What do you need from me?" 

Peggy stared at her, her impassive expression never changing. 

"Oh, not much." She said loftily. "Would you like to help me topple a few Russian cartels and recover some stolen items?" 

"Peggy," Dottie chastised. She was slightly disappointed that Peggy's request was so boring. "I'm sure I'd _love_ to help you, but - in case you've forgotten - I'm in prison."

Peggy smiled. "Is that a yes then? Good." She stood up from her chair with an air of finality, and Dottie's heart clenched at the thought that she would be leaving her. "Because in seven minutes, all the guards will be taken of. Use this to get out." She tossed something round and spherical to land beside Dottie on the bed. Quickly, Dottie covered it with her legs and sat on it to obscure it from view. 

"But what is it?" She asked, flicking her eyes down pointedly just as Peggy knocked on the door to be released. 

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." She answered with a smile, and stepped through the door - away from Dottie once more. 

The guard took a cursory look at the room and then door closed. 

Dottie quickly inspected the object. 

The sphere broke apart in her hand into to demi-spehes. Instantly, a low wave of electricity crackled between them, and they were drawn towards each other again by magnetism. Two incredibly high caliber magnets, hmm. 

Dottie smiled. 

Now all she had to do was wait. Seven minutes until she saw Peggy again. 

_______________________________

 Upon breaking out, she immediately checked the unconscious guard for his gun. It was suspiciously missing from his holster.

"Peggy, you're no fun." She said, pouting, but her eyes were alight in excitement. Despite her words, she _was_ having fun. Peggy knew her rather well - especialy enough to know to remove all weapons from her reach - but she didn't know her well enough. she would just have to teach Peggy not to underestimate her. 

When she reached the outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air, and then she quickly darted away. Peggy would be waiting a while before she noticed that she wasn't coming. 

She rounded the corner into the nearby alley. 

She stopped in sheer surprise as she saw Peggy already waiting for her. 

_Peggy knew her_ so _well,_ she thought in both annoyance and amusement. 

She braced herself for combat, mentally planning - for only a of couple seconds -how Peggy would attack first and how she would retaliate or how she would attack first without letting Peggy be able to retaliate. If she just did -

Peggy smirked, and lifted a gun-like device and launched a net at Dottie. 

Dottie was almost disappointed. 

"You know this won't hold me." She chastised, a savage grin rising to her face as she began to charge at her rival. 

"I know." Peggy responded, and then pressed some button on the device that had launched the simple, pathetic net. 

Electricity flowed through the net, and immediately Dottie dropped to the ground in pain. She hadn't expected that, she had to admit. But at least now she felt vindicated in the fact that Peggy Carter wasn't one to underestimate her. 

Peggy pressed the button again, even though Dottie had feigned being unconscious. Electricity rippled through her once more. 

Yes, Dottie thought, her thoughts fleeting and turning into a hazy black. Peggy never did disappoint her. 

Dottie would do best to remember that. 

_______________________________

She woke up slowly. Taking in her surroundings before opening her eyes, she listened to the quiet voices murmuring around her. 

"I know that you said that she could be trusted -" A male voice said lowly, and then a different, British male voice interrupted him. 

"She can't."

"- But, how do we know her again?" The first voice continued without pause. 

"She's an old enemy of mine from a rival company." _Ah._ There was Peggy's voice. 

"That's not really reassuring, you know." The man said, an amused tone creeping in despite his obvious worry. 

"She can be trusted." Peggy assured them, and Dottie felt herself stilling, forgetting to keep on breathing deliberately slowly and naturally at those words. "At least, once we offer her what she wants."

"And what does she want?" The man asked. 

"Why don't we ask her?" Peggy said. And at first Dottie assumed it was an idle comment and then realized that Peggy had realized and had figured her out. 

Dottie opened her eyes. 

Peggy didn't look the least bit surprised. 

A smile curled around Dottie's lips. 

"We need your help." The first man said, and Dottie's eyes briefly flickered over to him. Howard Stark, she recognized with a small feeling of surprise. She hadn't thought that she would have seen him again so quickly. 

The other man she was more familiar with. Stark's butler and Peggy's trusted companion. Edwin Jarvis, wasn't it?

"My help?" She asked innocently, a quick flutter of her eyes deliberately emphasizing her surprise. 

Peggy pursed her red lips. "Yes, unfortunately." 

"That hurts me, Peggy, truly." Dottie said coyly. 

"What do you know about the Russian mob?" Peggy asked, strictly business. 

Dottie sighed. "Not much. They're rather boring, you see."

"What do you know about them having Howard Stark's inventions?" Peggy asked, and the butler released a protesting cry. 

"Really?" She drawled. 

Peggy waited patiently. 

"Well, not much," Dottie admitted. "I've been _in prison,_ you see. No thanks to you." 

"And yet you're free. Thanks to me." Peggy rebutted. 

"Fair enough. The Russians don't want the weapons." She said plainly. "They'll probably sell them to the Italians, who were powerful before, but are now rising in power pretty quickly as of lately."

"Is that the truth?" Peggy firmly demanded.

"Would I lie to you?" She asked, a demure smile on her lips. 

"Yes." Peggy immediately answered. 

"Um, you have before - several times, in fact, if I may." Mr. Jarvis interjected, raising a finger in protest but withdrawing it at Dottie's withering look. 

"Peggy." Dottie purred. "Don't you trust me?"

"Not on your life." Jarvis muttered. 

" _Well._ " Peggy smirked. "Maybe then." 

Dottie glanced between them and their amused faces with sceptic caution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is probably going to be 19 chapters. That's how it's looking on my outline.
> 
> Because of the sheer size of this project, updates will be slower than my other stories. My method of writing is that I try to work on multiple chapters at a time to help the cohesiveness of the story (and so I don't accidentally contradict anything.) So if you follow my other stories, and are confused by this one taking longer, that's why.
> 
> Anyways, I'm really excited about this story. Thanks for reading!


End file.
